Belles Finish Seventh at MIAA Championship

ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's cross country team matched their score from the MIAA Jamboree with a 160 on the nose at the MIAA Championship on Saturday.

The results of both meets are used to determine the conference's champion. Hope earned the conference title by edging out Calvin at the championship meet at Alma on Saturday. The Belles finished seventh in the conference after claiming that same spot in both of the conference meets this season.

Joanne Almond led the way for the Belles with a 23:22 on the 6k course to finish 33rd overall and earn 23 points for the Belles. The time was also 11 seconds faster than her previous 6k personal record time, which was set last year at the NCAA Regional.

Julia Kenney ran a 23:39 to cross the finish line 39th (26 points) for the Belles, which is her best 6k time of the 2011 season thus far. Emma Baker was not far behind as she ran a 23:49 to finish 44th (28 points) for her fastest 6k since last year's MIAA Championship.

Angela Nebesny almost matched her time from two weeks ago as she ran a 24:48 to cross the finish line 62nd (39 points). Sarah Copi wrapped up the scoring runners for Saint Mary's with a 25:10 for 70th (44 points), which is a new 6k personal record. Copi narrowly edged out teammate Colette Curtis (71st), whose official time matched Copi's 25:10 and is also a new PR for the sophomore. Elizabeth Majewski also earned a new 6k personal record time in the meet for Saint Mary's as she finished in 25:20 (75th).

Samee Chittenden (25:35 - 81st), Danielle Haydell (27:14 - 99th), Liz Krupp (27:58 - 108th), and Mandy Wolf (28:01 - 109th) all competed for the Belles on Saturday as well. All four times are the fastest 6ks of the season for those members of the team.

The Belles will have two weeks off before competing in the NCAA Regional on November 12 at Oberlin College.